Four WPIAL volleyball teams will kick off postseason action this week.

• In Class AA, Knoch plays Apollo-Ridge at 7:30 p.m. today at West Shamokin.

• Freeport will host the Seton-La Salle-Ford City winner at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

• At 6 p.m. Thursday, Mars will play the Beth Center-Quaker Valley winner at Blackhawk.

• In Class AAA, Seneca Valley will host Ringgold in a first-round contest at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

BUFFALO TWP — Lernerville Speedway ended its season with its inaugural Steel City Stampede over the weekend.Cole Duncan won the Sprint feature, Matt Lux the Late Models, Del Rougeux Jr. the BRP Modifieds and Randy Hall the UMP Modifieds.Other winners were Josh Holtgraver in the UMP PRO Late Models, Rusty Martz in the Sportsman Stocks, Michael Hays in the Mod Lites, Lee Lehnerd in the 34-cylinders and Brent Truitt in the Enduro 100.

SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University's Ken Fultz was named the PSAC West Men's Soccer Player of the Week.Fultz scored two goals in a 5-0 victory over Davis & Elkins (W.Va.) College, then had three more goals in a 5-0 win over the University of the District of Columbia.

PITTSBURGH — Right-handed reliever Tyler Yates has chosen to become a free agent after the Pittsburgh Pirates requested outright waivers on him.Yates had Tommy John surgery in July to replace a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow for the second time in his career. He is not expected to pitch again until the middle of next season. Yates also had the ligament repaired in 2002 and needed major shoulder surgery in 2005.The Pirates apparently planned to offer Yates a minor-league contract, but he preferred to seek work in another organization. Yates made $1.3 million this season.Yates, 32, didn't pitch again after being placed on the disabled list May 15 with a 7.50 ERA. He was 6-3 with a 4.66 ERA in 72 games with Pittsburgh in 2008

No. 16 Pittsburgh's home football game against Syracuse on Nov. 7 will start at noon EST and will be televised by ESPNU.The Panthers are idle this week. They climbed from No. 20 to No. 16 in The Associated Press poll by defeating South Florida 41-14 on Saturday.Also, the Ohio State at Penn State game on Nov. 7 will kick off at 3:30 p.m., the Big Ten Conference announced Monday.The game time was set by ABC, which will be carrying the game on a regional basis.No. 12 Penn State (7-1, 3-1) is at Northwestern on Saturday before returning to Beaver Stadium to welcome the No. 17 Buckeyes (6-2, 4-1).John Embroski, 82, of Butler, from the senior tee on the No. 7 hole on the Krendale South course, with a pitching wedge.